Conveying apparatus



No. 608,576. Patented Aug. 9, I898.

' w J. T. COWLEY.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

' (Application filed Apt. 25, 1895.) Model 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

' No. 608,576. 7 Patentad Aug. 9, I898. J. T. COWLEY.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1895.) (N0 Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet--2.

/g ulll-lilllll" m ETEIS ca. PNOTO-LIT O.. WASNINGYON o c U ITED STATES PATENT I nron.

JAMES T. COWLEY, OF LOIVEL L MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON CONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF NEYVARK,

NEW JERSEY.

CONVEYING APPARATU SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 608,576, dated August 9, 1 898.

Application filed April 25, 1895- Serial No. 5471051 (N0 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 'I, JAMEs T. CO LEY, of Lowell; county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Conveying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactldescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appe'rtains to-make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements'in conveying apparatus; and it has for its object the propulsion of carriers between distant points by means of a propelling-cable, to which the carrier is engaged and disengaged. I

My invention consists of certain novel features, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims. r j t In the drawings which accompany this application and illustrate a construction embodying my invention, Figure 1 is a sectional view taken at a point along the line near one of the supporting-brackets and showing a carrier passing said bracket. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the carrier. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a carrier at a station or terminal along the line. Fig. 5 is a detail side view of one of the brackets used where'the carrier passes around a corner. gripping mechanism.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Upon the tracks A a carrier B,havin g wheels C, mounted on journals C in standards B, is adapted to travel; From the frame of the carrier there extends upwardly an arm 13*,

having at its upper end two flaring fingers B each having on its inner side a corrugated surface B to which the cable X is adaptedto wedge in the propulsion of thecarrier.

These upper fingers B are provided'with an adjustable screw B and binding-screw B ,tl 1(-) adjustable screw being used to adjust the width of the slot between the fingers B so that thecable Xwill wedge thereon, and the screw B is to firmly clamp the fingers in their adj usted position.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the cablebrackets'D are provided, which are supported by hangers D from the ceiling-plate D and said hangers are braced by suitable crossbraces-D I E are suitable guide-rods extending the whole length of the line, mountedin the inwardly-extending arms D on the bracket D.

Pivoted to the lower end of the bracket D is an upwardly-extending cable-supporting lever F, provided at its lowerend with a spring F which tends to keep this supporting-lever in the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. l, and in full lines in Fig.5: The upper part of this cable-supporting lever is formed with a concaved surface F which is adapted to receive and support 7 the propelling-cable. Near the center of this cable-supporting lever there is provided two lugs F between which a friction-roll F 'is journaled.

G represents a pulley journaled upon the pin VG, fixed in the bracket D, and its object is to guide the cable while passing around corners. I" A Supported onthe ends of the journal C of the carrier andinthe'center from the lug C is a cam-shaped plate B This plate is adapted to engage with the friction-roll F on the cable-supportin g lever attached to the bracket D, Figs. 1 and 5, and move the same out of the path of'the'carrier traveling along the way and passing by one of the brackets.

J ournaled on the stud B and fastened to the upwardly-extending arm B is a roll B This roll is adapted to engage with the guiderods E,extendin g along the way, and to steady the carrier and keep the same in an upright position and also to guide the carrier while passing by the brackets D and around corners.

Referring now to Fig. 4:, which shows a portion of the line where it is desired to steady the carriers to load or unload the same, to

the under part of the track A is secured a fiat spring H, with upwardly-extending ears H and secured to the track A by the screw H. The opposite end of this fiat spring is provided with ears 1-1 which embrace the sides of the track A and guide thisend of the spring. As the carrier approaches'thisportion of. the track where the spring is applied thereto the propelling-cable is passed under suitable pulleys J, supported in brackets J. These pulleys are placed above the track a sufficient height to allow the grip-fingers B to pass under the pulley, and by the cable being held in contact with these pulleys J as the carrier approaches this portion of the line the cable will be pulled out from the gripping-jaws B 011 the carrier, and the carrier will travel by momentum onward until it reaches the spring II, when it will wedge thereon and stop the carrier, and when it is again desired to forward the carrier along the line it is simply forced over this spring and forwarded along the line, when the fingers of the grippingjaws B will again engage with the cable and the cable will then continue the carrier along the way.

Having thus ascertained the nature of my invention and set forth a construction embodying the same, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a conveying apparatus, a track, a propelling-cable, a carrier adapted to travel on said track, a gripping mechanism attached to said carrier for engaging with said cable, guide-rods supported above said track for directing said carrier, a lever pivoted atan end and having its free end extendingabove said track to engage with said cable to support the latter in its proper position relative to the path traveled by said gripping mechanism, means for normally holding said lever in engagement with said cable, and means operated by said carriage for moving said lever out of engagement with the cable.

3. In aconveyin g apparatus, a track,a propelling-cable, a carrier adaptedto travel on said track, a gripping mechanism attached to said carrier for engaging with said cable, guide-rods supported above said track for directing said carrier, a lever pivoted at an end and having its free end extending above said track to engage with said cable and to support the latter in its proper position relative to the path traveled by said gripping mechanism, a spring normally holding said lever in engagement with the cable, and a camplate mounted on said carrier for engaging said lever to move the latter out of engagement with the cable.

In a conveying apparatus, a track, a propelling-cable, a carrier adapted to travel on said track, a gripping mechanism attached to said carrier for engaging with said cable, guide-rods supported above said track [or directing said carrier, a lever pivoted at an end and having its free end extending above said track to engage with said cable to support the latter in its proper position relative to the path traveled by said gripping meehanism,a spring normallyholding said lever in engagement with the cable, a friction-roller carried by said lever, and a cam-plate mounted on said carrier for engaging with said frictionroller to move said lever out of engagement; with the cable.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 12th day Of April, 1895.

JAMES T. COWLEY.

\Vitnesses:

L. 11. 'lnow, E. LjlIAnLow. 

